Infos querbeet zu NPs, NMs, SPs, etc.

Für ein Foto am Horseshoe Bend musst du jetzt zahlen

Zitat

4.219.441 Millionen Menschen kamen im vergangenen Jahr – das offenbaren die offiziellen Besucherzahlen der Glen Canyon National Recreation Area im US-Bundestaat Arizona. Und viele von ihnen kamen nur für das (Foto-)Highlight des Nationalparks, dem Horseshoe Bend.
Um den jährlich steigenden Besucherzahlen gerecht werden zu können, setzte der National Park Service (NPS) einige Maßnahmen um, die nun refinanziert werden müssen.
Für Touristen bedeutet das seit dem 13. April: Bye kostenloser Besuch am Canyon, hello Eintrittsgebühr.

Touristen zahlen Eintritt für den Horseshoe Bend in Arizona
Investiert wurde zum einen in die Parkmöglichkeiten am Canyon. Der Highway 89 führt direkt zu den nun erweiterten Parkplätzen, auf denen rund 300 Autos zeitgleich abgestellt werden können. Allerdings eben gegen eine Gebühr von zehn Dollar pro Fahrzeug. Motorradfahrer zahlen fünf Dollar.
Für Reisebusse ist auch Schluss mit dem Gratis-Besuch, solche mit einer Kapazität von 35 und mehr Fahrgästen werden bis zu 140 Dollar los.
Eine Garantie für einen Parkplatz gibt es übrigens nicht – wenn der voll ist, musst du leider umkehren. Möchtest du dieses Risiko bei deinem Ausflug zu dem legendären hufeisenförmigen Canyon nicht eingehen, empfiehlt der Nationalpark geführte Touren. Allerdings müssen Erwachsene dann statt mit zehn Dollar Eintritt gleich mit mindestens 90 Dollar Buchungskosten rechnen.

Warum der Horseshoe Bend so faszinierend ist
Warum sich das lohnen könnte, zeigen allein 443.582 Beiträge bei Instagram. Nach Angaben vom „Lonely Planet“ gehört die Glen-Canyon-National-Recreation-Area zu den meistbesuchten Orten in den USA und ist in den Top 10 der besten Nationalparks des Landes.
An Naturwundern hat das mehr als 5.000 Quadratkilometer große Schutzgebiet um den Lake Powell noch sehr viel mehr zu bieten als dieses Fotomotiv.
Etwas mehr als elf Kilometer vom Horseshoe Bend entfernt kannst du zwischen den zwischen rot und orange changierenden Felsformationen des Antelope Canyons wandern. Auch der ist ein absoluter Insta-Hotspot.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Zitat von steffuzius

Gut, dass wir dort noch kostenlos und relativ allein den Ausblick genießen konnten

Zuletzt 2008.
Es gab noch einen Parkplatz für umsonst direkt davor - und viele wurden gleich abgeschreckt, weil der 2Aufstieg" durch den tiefen Sand ja so beschwerlich war....

Steamtown National Historic Site Commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad, May 10-12

Zitat

Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) welcomes visitors to help commemorate the 150th anniversary of the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad with special activities at the park from May 10-12, 2019. With the driving of a ceremonial golden spike on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, the nation was linked from coast to coast by rail, accelerating the transit of people and goods across country at a speed not previously known.

Steamtown NHS is offering several different activities to commemorate this historic event. On Friday and Saturday, May 10-11, rangers will lead guided tours of Scranton’s luxurious former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (DL&W) Railroad passenger station, now the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel. The tours depart from Steamtown NHS at 10:00 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm aboard the Scranton Limited, which will be powered by the Baldwin Locomotive Works #26 steam locomotive. Learn about the history of this grand building, which is highlighted by a magnificent skylight and murals of sites found along the DL&W mainline that made the former passenger waiting room one of the most elegant spaces in the city. Don’t miss your chance to be taken back in time to when the station was the place to be! Tickets are only $5/person and can be purchased at the park’s Ticket and Information Booth in person or by calling 570-340-5204 and paying via credit card (the tickets will be held for you Will Call at the booth).

And don’t miss the Marketplace at Steamtown Postal Store special cancellation station set up at Steamtown NHS from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Saturday, May 11. The United States Postal Service is honoring the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad with three commemorative first class stamps. The stamps and envelopes can be purchased on site at the Steamtown NHS bookstore while supplies last or visitors can bring their own. The store also has a selection of railroad-themed postcards for purchase that could be cancelled as anniversary mementos. Visitors take their stamps, envelopes, and postcards to Steamtown NHS’s History Museum, where postal workers will be set up in the Louisville & Nashville Railway Post Office (RPO) car to commemorate the day with a “Steamtown” cancellation.

Then, on Sunday, May 12, make Mom queen for the day aboard a special Mother’s Day railroad passenger excursion into the Poconos to the quaint town of Moscow, where the former passenger station and freight depot will be open for viewing. The train departs Steamtown NHS at 1:30 pm and returns after 3:30 pm. Ticket prices are: Adults (ages 16-61), $24.00; Seniors (ages 62+), $22.00; Children (ages 6-15), $17.00, and Children to age 5, free (ticket obtained at fee booth). For more information or to make reservations, please call 570-340-5204.Steamtown NHS will further observe this special anniversary with regular showings of Golden Spike, the orientation film shown at Golden Spike National Historic Park, Utah, the National Park Service site which commemorates the event, along with other railroad related DVDs. Memorabilia commemorating the 100th anniversary, on loan from the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, will be on display in the History Museum. Steamtown NHS will also bring Nickel Plate Road (NKP) #759 steam locomotive out of the Roundhouse for a rare weekend photo op. NKP #759 pulled the special 1969 Golden Spike Centennial Limited across the Midwest as far as Omaha, Nebraska, before handing the train off to another locomotive to complete the journey to Utah for 100th anniversary activities.

Located in downtown Scranton, Pa., Steamtown NHS is open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. From I-81 follow exit 185 (Central Scranton Expressway); then follow the brown and white signs to the park entrance at Lackawanna Avenue and Cliff Street (GPS: N 41.41, W 75.67). General park information is available by phoning (570) 340-5206 during regular business hours, or by visiting the park website anytime.

Link

The 20 Best Waterfall Hikes in the United States

No two waterfalls are exactly alike, but these 20 will always capture our imagination.

Zitat

We’re drawn to waterfalls. The air around them feels fresh and rejuvenating, and science shows they have a calming effect on our mood by altering our serotonin levels. Some are pretty, others magnificent, and still others intimidating. And while just catching the view from a lookout is all right, earning it on a legit waterfall hike will always feel better. We picked 20 of our favorite jaunts to waterfalls across the U.S., from .8 mile to more than 20.

Mehr hier

Tourismus in New York
Ende für kommerzielle Touren in Freiheitsstatue

Es wurde einfach zu eng: Ab dem 16. Mai dürfen Tourguides nicht mehr mit Touristengruppen in die Freiheitsstatue hinein. Doch es gibt noch mehr Einschränkungen für Touristenführer.

Zitat

Urlauber in New York können das Museum der Freiheitsstatue und das Einwanderungsmuseum auf Ellis Island künftig nicht mehr mit kommerziellen Touristenführern besuchen. Die Tourguides seien innerhalb des neuen Statue of Liberty Museums, auf dem Observation Deck der Statue und im National Museum of Immigration auf Ellis Island ab 16. Mai nicht mehr zugelassen. Das teilte der National Park Service (NPS) mit. Mit der Maßnahme sollen Staus und Gedränge in den Räumlichkeiten reduziert werden.
Die Guides sind nach wie vor im Außenbereich auf Ellis Island und vor der Freiheitsstatue erlaubt und können Touristen dort die jeweiligen Sehenswürdigkeiten erklären. Sie dürfen somit auf die Inseln.
Nach Angaben von Statue Cruises, die im Auftrag des NPS die Fähren nach Ellis und Liberty Island anbietet, unternahmen 2018 rund 250 000 Passagiere kommerzielle Touren - sechs Mal so viele wie ein Jahrzehnt zuvor. Das berichtet die „New York Times“. Die allermeisten Besucher kommen jedoch auf eigene Faust. Die geführten Touren mit größeren Gruppen verursachen laut NPS überproportional große Probleme.

Link

These historic lodges are the perfect way to see North America’s wild parks

Nestled in nature and rich in heritage, these wilderness lodges offer spectacular park stays.

Zitat

Glamping has nothing on these lodges. With a grand mansion or rustic inn as your base camp, you can get a glimpse into 19th- and 20th-century history before heading off into the park to explore some of North America’s most beautiful landscapes.

Dalvay-by-the-Sea, Prince Edward Island
Set along the north shore of Prince Edward Island, this elegant Victorian manse was constructed in 1896 by Scottish-American industrialist Alexander Macdonald as a family summer home; he named after his birthplace in Scotland. In the late 1930s, Parks Canada transformed Dalvay into a resort hotel for the newly established Prince Edward Island National Park. Visitors—who must have a park pass to stay at Dalvay—can choose from 25 period-styled rooms or eight cottages with ocean views.

Greyfield Inn, Georgia
It may look antebellum, but the graceful Greyfield was actually built in 1900, one of several mansions created by the Carnegie family, which summered on Georgia’s Cumberland Island during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Family heirlooms decorate the public areas and guest rooms of a hotel still owned and operated by Carnegie descendants. Take advantage of the all-inclusive lodge’s fishing, birding, hiking, and kayaking tours—or hit the secluded beach, part of the ecologically invaluable Cumberland Island National Seashore.

Mount Washington Resort, New Hampshire
The last of two dozen grand hotels that once graced New Hampshire’s White Mountains, Mount Washington Resort was opened in 1902 in the Bretton Woods valley. Railroad tycoon Joseph Stickney commissioned 250 Italian craftsmen to embellish his hotel with stained glass windows, elaborate molding, and intricate woodwork. Hike, snowshoe, or ski in White Mountain National Forest before heading back to the resort for a round of golf or fine dining with a view.

Skyland Resort, Virginia
Eccentric developer George Freeman Pollock opened this mountain retreat in 1895, long before the area became Shenandoah National Park. Located alongside the highest point of Skyline Drive, the rustic resort offers dreamy mountain vistas, hiking and horseback riding trails, and accommodation in historic cabins.

Old Faithful Inn, Wyoming
Constructed mainly from lodgepole pine, the rustic geyser-field lodge is the world’s largest log “cabin” and a Yellowstone landmark since 1904. Set beneath a huge gabled roof, the building’s awe-inspiring atrium rises seven stories above a massive stone fireplace. Many of the original furnishings remain in both the guest rooms and public areas, including the very popular Bear Pit bar. It’s a good idea to book in advance—many of Yellowstone’s four million visitors request lodging at Old Faithful Inn, which is only open from early May until mid-October.

Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta
Opened in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway as a way to attract more train-traveling tourists to the Rockies, the majestic lodge is set against a backdrop of snowcapped peaks and evergreen forest. The detailed Scottish baronial architecture gives it the feel of a fairytale castle rising in the wilderness—hence its nickname, “The Castle.” A stay at Banff Springs Hotel promises family fun: Kids can enjoy extensive programs on outdoors skills, science, and art while adults, tuckered out from a day of hiking and cave-exploring in Banff National Park, enjoy some time at the hotel spa.

El Tovar Hotel, Arizona
The Fred Harvey Company, which pioneered tourism in much of the Southwest, had the prescience to open a hotel overlooking the Grand Canyon in 1905, more than a decade before the geological wonder became what’s today the second most visited national park. Constructed primarily of wood and stone, the arts and crafts–influenced architecture was an early example of the National Park Service rustic style that imbued structures with a definite sense of place. Visitors can choose from among 78 unique rooms (including wheelchair-accessible rooms), enjoy farm-to-table dining overlooking the South Rim, and book a scenic train trip or take the classic mule trip into the Canyon itself.

The Inn at Death Valley, California
Formerly called the Furnace Creek Inn, this desert lodging attracted a glitzy Hollywood crowd when it opened in 1927. The romantic oasis setting near Furnace Creek village in Death Valley National Park is complemented by California Mission architecture, towering palm trees, and a swimming pool fed by desert spring water. In a park famous for its lack of rain—Death Valley averages less than two inches of precipitation a year—the Inn’s sustainability practices help maintain a diverse oasis critical to migrating birds and native flora.

Majestic Yosemite Hotel, California
Longtime visitors to the Sierra Nevada park will always think of this noble hotel by its original name: the Ahwahnee Hotel, as it was known from its opening in 1927 until it was renamed the Majestic Yosemite Hotel in 2016. The historic lodge has hosted many famous people over the years, from President Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth to Judy Garland and Lucille Ball. Visitors can golf, ski, swim, and explore Yosemite National Park through guided tours or self-directed climbing, hiking, or biking excursions.

Cavallo Point Lodge, California
With a panoramic view across the water to the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and downtown San Francisco, Cavallo Point Lodge offers an elegant stay beside the bay in Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Constructed in the early 1900s, the colonial revival–style buildings once housed U.S. Army officers and their families and now offers visitors luxury accommodation, cooking classes, and activites for families and dog-lovers alike.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Sixty-Three Miles Of Proposed Replacement Barriers Would Run Through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Zitat

New pedestrian and vehicle barriers are being proposed to run nearly the entire length of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument's border with Mexico, a project the Sierra Club claims will harm the ecosystem and be visually unappealing to park visitors.
Southern border parks such as Organ Pipe Cactus, Big Bend, and Coronado National Memorial long have been thrust into the news by threats posed by drug runners and undocumented immigrants. Though Organ Pipe Cactus is one of the park system’s oldest national monuments, for more than a decade earlier in this century it was forbidden for backcountry travel due to the 2002 murder of Ranger Kris Eggle, who was shot while chasing a Mexican gunman said to be trying to execute a $15,000 murder contract on a rival drug lord.
In the wake of the ranger’s death, heavy lobbying convinced Congress to provide $18 million to build a vehicle barrier along the US-Mexico border. Officials say it succeeded in ending illegal vehicular border crossings while allowing wildlife to pass through.
The travel of upwards of 1,000 undocumented immigrants a day led the Fraternal Order of Police to declare Organ Pipe the country's most dangerous park for a time early in this century. Indeed, at one point 95 percent of the park was closed to the traveling public because of the danger posed by this traffic.
But in 2014, the entire park was reopened after the National Park Service and Border Patrol conceived a plan to allow continued surveillance by the Patrol while Park Service crews erased hundreds of miles of illegal roads and road traces that had been woven through Organ Pipe Cactus.
Now the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proposing to construct a total of 63 miles of new bollard wall in place of dilapidated and outdated designs in Pima and Cochise counties. The project also includes road construction and improvement and lighting installation. The proposed design of the new bollard wall includes 18-to-30 foot, concrete-filled steel bollards that are approximately 6” x 6” in diameter.
The proposal, open for public comment through July 5, quickly drew criticism from Dan Mills, with Sierra Club's Grand Canyon Chapter Borderlands Program.
“The communities, landscapes and waterways of the borderlands region drive local recreation economies, sustain natural systems, and support millions of people in the Southwest and beyond. There is overwhelming proof that border walls do not protect these resources - they only do them harm," he said. “Destroying land and constructing more walls through these delicate landscapes and waters will further harm endangered species like the Sonoran pronghorn and Mexican gray wolf, at a time when the world faces mass extinctions. Building blockages through wildlife corridors means the jaguar could again disappear from the United States."

Alles anzeigen

Link

The Ultimate Everglades National Park Travel Guide

Zitat

Everglades National Park is turning 85 years old in 2019. Here's how to make the most out of a visit to one of the wildest places in the U.S., from kayaking to birding to fishing and so much more.

Mehr gibt es hier

Grand Teton National Park

Pavement Preservation Project Begins in Park this Week

Zitat

Pavement preservation work on U.S. Highway 89 and other areas in Grand Teton National Park may begin Thursday, May 16, and travelers should expect up to 15-minute daytime delays as chip seal activities get underway. Work on U.S. Highway 89 will begin at the park’s southern boundary and continue northbound throughout the year, extending to the south gate of Yellowstone National Park. Road work is dependent upon weather and temperature conditions.

The park-wide pavement preservation project is expected to be completed by the end of September. Visitors will see increased construction signage and equipment staging throughout the park.

The project is funded and managed in partnership with the Federal Lands Highway Program. The contract for the project was awarded to Intermountain Slurry Seal of Salt Lake City, Utah. Activities include patching holes and sealing cracks in the pavement surface, applying a chip seal or micro seal on the road surface, followed by a fog seal to reduce airborne gravel. Striping will be the final action.

The chip sealing work is a rolling construction operation that will gradually proceed from south to north on U.S. Highway 89. Visitors can expect temporary delays and reduced speed limits in these mobile construction zones. Work at parking lots will be managed by sections so that a portion of the lot will always be accessible.

Chip sealing is a cost-effective way to provide an improved road surface and preserve the underlying pavement. When proactive preventative maintenance activities are completed on park roads, more serious and costly damage to the pavement structure will be averted.

Road work will generally occur between 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, including weekends. No work will be permitted Saturday through Monday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-27, or over the Independence Day Holiday, Wednesday afternoon through Sunday, July 3-7.

Weather and temperature permitting, work will occur at the following locations and dates listed:

U.S. Highway 89/191/26

South Boundary to Antelope Flats
Begin mid-May and complete by July
Expect 15-minute delays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Expect possible 30-minute delays from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. later this summer

Antelope Flats to East Boundary near Moran
Completed by mid-July
Expect 15-minute delays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Expect possible 30-minute delays from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. later this summer

Moran Junction to south gate of Yellowstone National Park
Begin late August and completed by early September
Expect 30-minute delays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Expect possible 30-minute delays from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Park Roads

Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center Parking
Begin May 15 and complete by July
Work will be completed in two phases to allow for visitor parking and access.

Gros Ventre Road (Kelly Road)
Begin late May and complete by July
Expect 15-minute delays

South Jenny Lake Access Road and Parking
Begin early June and complete by July
Work will be completed in four phases to allow for visitor parking and access.

Colter Bay Entrance Road
Completed by mid-July
Maximum 15-minute delays

Colter Bay Visitor Center Parking
Completed by mid-July
Work will be completed in six phases to allow for visitor parking and access.

Leeks Marina Access Road
Prior to June 15 or after September 15, or completed at night 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Maximum 15-minute delays during daytime hours
Work on the Leeks Marina Access Road and the Colter Bay Entrance Road will not be performed concurrently.

Updated road status and conditions will be available by calling the park road information line at 307-739-3682 and on the park’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

In addition to the pavement preservation work, the final phase of emergency repairs related to the June 2017 washout of the Gros Ventre Road will occur late this summer. Work is expected to begin in late July and continue into November. Traffic delays associated with the Gros Ventre Road repair project will be limited to 15 minutes between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.

The work will focus on realigning the road to restore the original 45 m.p.h. speed limit and replacing the concrete barriers with a guardrail. Additional stream bank armoring will occur upstream and downstream from the work that was completed in the fall of 2017.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Blue Ridge Parkway Announces 2019 Pavement Preservation Work

Zitat

The National Park Service announced today that over 115 miles of the historic motor route in three primary areas will be resurfaced as part of a pavement preservation program on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Work is expected to start in late-May and continue through November of 2019, with no work scheduled during October. Work locations, within scheduled project areas, will change weekly and visitors in active work zone areas should expect single lane closures and delays. The National Park Service appreciates the public’s patience and cooperation during this project.

Work will take place on the following sections of Parkway, and includes the paved road-side pullouts:
Milepost 175 to 217, Mabry Mill to Cumberland Knob area (42 miles)
Milepost 241 to 262, Doughton Park to West Jefferson area (21 miles)
Milepost 292 to 345, Cone Memorial Park to NC Minerals Museum area (53 miles)
As with any road project, motorists and park users must exercise caution. In the interest of visitor safety, park visitors are asked to:
Check the Parkway’s Real Time Road Map for regularly updated work zone information.
Expect delays while work takes place Monday through Friday. Lane closures will be managed with flagging operations and a pilot car to lead traffic through work zones.
Observe reduced speed limits in work zones, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; to maintain safe operations and allow for proper curing of pavement.
Anticipate loose gravel on the road surface during pavement curing times. Bicyclists and motorcyclists are asked to exercise extreme caution as loose gravel on top of the paved surface, during the required curing time, could result in loss of control. On-site message boards will recommend alternate routes.
When circumstances prevent bicyclists from keeping up with traffic, dismount and move off of the road to let the on-coming traffic pass when traveling through a single lane closure.
Project vendors will work in short sections and repeat the resurfacing process as they move from section to section of the full project. The steps in this process include prepping the surface, applying a chip seal surface of liquid asphalt and stone chips, allowing the surface to properly cure, vacuuming the work area to minimize loose gravel, applying a fog seal on top of the chip seal surface, and finishing by painting new road marking lines. The process will then repeat on the next section of the project.

The Blue Ridge Parkway inventory of paved roads includes bridges, tunnels, parking areas, spur roads, service roads, campground and picnic area roads, and the 469-mile Parkway motor route itself. Given the large inventory of paved surfaces along the Parkway, and in order to effectively invest available funding, the pavement preservation strategy focuses on keeping the good sections good and returning fair sections to good condition.

Pavement preservation is becoming a regular road maintenance strategy in national parks. Studies find that for each dollar spent on pavement preservation between $6 and $10 in future pavement rehabilitation costs are saved. Funding for road maintenance in national parks, including the Parkway, comes in large part from the Highway Trust Fund, which is derived from a federal gas tax managed by the Federal Highway Administration.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Biscayne National Park's "Spite Highway" Reopens To Hikers

Zitat

You can walk a bit of the controversial past at Biscayne National Park, and enjoy nature, with the reopening of Spite Highway.
National park crews in late April were finally finished with clearing away downed trees and other debris that Hurricane Irma left across the historic route back in September 2017.
It's a highway only in name these days. And really never was a highway. The route on Elliott Key arose in back in 1968 when developers, outraged over the movement to have the key designated a national monument, bulldozed a six-lane wide corridor seven miles down the middle of the key.
Park proponents were undeterred, the National Park Service notes. Congress, led by longtime U.S. Representative Dante Fascell, created Biscayne National Monument to protect "a rare combination of terrestrial, marine and amphibious life in a tropical setting of great natural beauty."
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill on October 18, 1968. Once the key was added to the National Park System, the highway was allowed to revert to a nature trail.
The funding for clearing away the debris on the trail was made possible by Congress, which allocated $6.4 million to support this and more than 20 other repair projects at Biscayne National Park related to Hurricane Irma’s impact.
Clearing the trail posed significant challenges because heavy equipment and personnel had to be transported more than 8.5 miles across Biscayne Bay to the key. According to the South Florida National Parks Trust, it took three weeks to complete the cleanup with a team of six to eight people working each day to cut and clear debris in hot, humid and buggy conditions.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

Passenger Ferry Transportation Concession Prospectus Released

Zitat

The National Park Service (NPS) announced today the release of the passenger ferry transportation and related services prospectus at Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. The prospectus is for a 10-year concession contract opportunity and is available on the NPS website at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/concessions/prospectuses.htm.

The NPS offers this opportunity for passenger ferry services to the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. One of the most popular national parks in the United States, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island together attracted over 4.5 million visitors in 2016. All visitors must arrive by ferry from Battery Park in New York City or Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Visitors enjoy self-guided tours, exhibits, ranger-led and audio tours, and other programs and activities on Liberty and Ellis islands. The park also hosts numerous school groups, special civic ceremonies, corporate and other events.

The concessioner will provide year-round passenger ferry service to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, including charter ferry service for special events. The concessioner will provide onboard food and beverage service on all ferries. As part of its ferry ticketing system, the concessioner will manage access to both the crown and the pedestal via a ticket system on behalf of the NPS, audio tours on behalf of the Statue of Liberty- Ellis Island Foundation, and hard hat tours on behalf of Save Ellis Island, Inc. The concessioner will also provide access to lockers on Liberty Island for passengers visiting the pedestal and crown.

To accommodate the high visitation demand for Ellis and Liberty islands, prospective offerors must have the capacity to transport thousands of passengers each hour regardless of the constraints of the operation.

The prospectus results from the solicitation process required by the NPS Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998. The Service expects operations to commence under the new contract on October 1, 2020. The Director, pursuant to 36 CFR Part 51, has determined that no preferred offeror for this contract exists.

Link

How to stay safe around wild animals

Beyond common sense, there are few simple rules for enjoying wildlife that can prevent dangerous encounters.

Zitat

With summer being the busiest season for most U.S. national parks, the potential for run-ins with wildlife increases—and so do visits to the emergency room.
Though most people imagine bears or bison are the animals to watch out for, even small mammals can pose a risk.
“At the Grand Canyon, the number one reason people end up at the clinic is from squirrel bites,” says Kathy Kupper, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Park Service.
It’s illegal to approach, harass, or feed any type of wildlife in national parks, adds Kupper. “No matter the size, no matter how harmless or safe they appear.”
Between 2008 and 2015 in the United States, 1,160 people died in animal encounters, mostly due to domestic animals such as dogs, followed by venomous species such as hornets, bees, and snakes.
Though such incidents are rare, they can be made even rarer by following a few basic guidelines. The first and perhaps most important is to give wildlife a lot of room.
“If your actions cause a reaction from the animal, then you’re too close,” says Kupper. “And if you can take a selfie with wildlife, then you’re definitely too close.”

Know before you go
Many problems with wildlife can be solved simply by doing a little bit of research before entering an unfamiliar area.
For instance, the American alligator, which can be found from South Carolina to Florida to Texas, can reach up to 15 feet long and weigh around a thousand pounds. These apex predators are capable of inflicting great bodily harm to their prey, and they have been known to kill humans from time to time.
It may seem obvious, but don’t approach an alligator or get in the water with one. Certain behaviors, like splashing at the water’s edge, are also a no-no for this particular animal, says Rolf Olson, project leader for the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.
“You can be within 10 to 15 feet as long as you’re up on dry ground,” Olson says. “Alligators can charge really fast and move really quickly, but they’re most dangerous in water.”
Predators are also not the only animals that should be given a wide berth: Large herbivores like bison and hippos can be just as deadly. In Alaska, more people are injured by moose than bears each year.
In general, Kupper says remaining at least a hundred yards away from large animals like bears, wolves, and cats. For smaller wildlife, 25 yards is usually a good buffer.

Please don’t feed the animals
In addition to knowing your surroundings and keeping a distance, one of the best things you can do to prevent negative wildlife encounters is to keep your food to yourself.
This is because when animals come to associate humans with food, it can create situations that put both parties at risk.
In fact, Kupper says even small mammals with a taste for human food can be surprisingly harmful.

A fed bear is a dead bear
Of course, larger animals can do even more damage, which is why Olson, of the Florida refuge, says he and his team work tirelessly to keep people from feeding the alligators.
“People have brought filet mignon down here,” he says.
Food-habituated animals sometimes have to be trapped, relocated, or euthanized by wildlife managers because of the threat they pose to humans. This is why those in the know say “A fed bear is a dead bear.”
Black bears have an incredible sense of smell, and will easily track down any human food that's left out or improperly stored. Not only are bears habituated to people more dangerous, they have shorter life-spans than bears that steer clear of us.
In the end, Kupper says that we need to remember that seeing wildlife is a privilege.
“You’re in their home,” she says. “We all need to do our part to make sure that they are safe so that others can enjoy them as well.”

Alles anzeigen

Link

Längste Hängebrücke der USA eröffnet in Tennesee

Zitat

Die längste Fußgänger-Hängebrücke der USA eröffnet am Freitag den 17. Mai in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Die neue “Sky Bridge” ist ca. 207 Meter lang und hängt ca. 43 Meter über dem Boden.

Inmitten des Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Gatlinburg in Tennesee ist eine kleine Stadt in den Bergen und gilt als Gateway zum Great Smoky Mountains Nationalpark. Erreicht wird die Stadt mit dem Auto innerhalb einer Stunde vom Knoxville Airport (TYS). Gatlinburg ist ebenfalls nicht allzu weit entfernt vom Dollywood Freizeitpark. Die Hängebrücke erstreckt sich mit ihren 207 Metern über Teile des Tals vom Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. Während man über die Brücke schreitet, bietet sich einem ein Panorama Ausblick über die kleine Stadt, als auch die Gipfel der Smoky Mountains.
Auf der SkyBridge kann jeder Besucher entspannt die Aussicht genießen und Fotos machen bevor es weitergeht. Des Weiteren ist in Planung, dass am höchsten Punkt der Brücke, Glasböden eingebaut werden, um auch die Aussicht direkt unter den Füßen bewundern zu können. Auch einen Aufzug, der die Besucher zum Gipfel des Crockett Mountain bringt, gibt es.

“Absolut spektakuläre Erfahrung”
“Die SkyBridge ist eine absolut spektakuläre Erfahrung und eine leicht erreichbare Attraktion, die man sein Leben lang nicht vergisst – vor allem beim Überqueren des verglasten Bodens,” so die offizielle Sky Park Webseite. “Wenn du ein Foto von deinem Trip nach Gatlinburg mit deiner Familie und Freunden teilen wirst, dann wird es eins von der Sky Bridge sein.” Bei diesen hochtrabenden Statements sollte man natürlich nicht vergessen, dass es sich um die offizielle Werbung der Betreiber handelt. Die ersten Fotos sehen allerdings auch tatsächlich spektakulär aus, sodass die Gegend zweifelsfrei um eine Attraktion reicher wird.

Fazit zur Eröffnung der Hängebrücke
Nach einem Waldbrand im November 2016 war der Sky Lift, der 1954 eröffnete, und die umliegenden Shops zerstört worden. Der Lift wurde nun wieder neu gebaut und bietet die Möglichkeit, Besucher auf den rund 550 Meter hohen Gipfel des Crockett Mountain zu bringen. Tickets für den Lift kosten um die 13 Euro für Erwachsene und ca 11 Euro für Kinder. Das Beste an dem Wiederaufbau ist wohl, dass eine neue spannende Attraktion hinzugekommen ist und der tolle Ausblick per Fußmarsch über die längste Hängebrücke der USA genossen werden kann.

Link

Hawaii’s Kailua Beach tops 2019 'best beach' list

Zitat

In Kailua, the sand is soft and white, the water is clear and calm, and the view is exactly what you would expect from a beach in the Hawaiian Islands.
Those are among the reasons Oahu’s Kailua Beach Park has been selected as the best stretch of sand for an annual list of top U.S. beaches.
Stephen Leatherman, a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University, has been drafting the list under the alias “Dr. Beach” since 1991.
Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches, with the most important categories being water cleanliness, safety and management of the beach environment and its facilities. Leatherman uses data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grade the beaches on water quality and has been to all the beaches on his list.
Beaches in Hawaii are consistently ranked high, sometimes at the top of his list.
“I love Waikiki Beach. No question about that — a world-famous beach — but Kailua is a lot smaller and quieter,” Leatherman said. “It’s so much more peaceful. ... You don’t have big high-rises and all that. Kailua is on the other side of the mountains. It’s like a different world.”
In recent years Leatherman has been giving extra credit to beaches that prohibit smoking, which all Oahu beaches do. He thinks other beaches around the state and country should follow suit.
Leatherman also looks for powdery soft white sand, something Kailua Beach Park has in abundance.
Vari Singh and her family were visiting Oahu from Los Angeles and spent a day in Kailua.
“The color of the sea is something like we’ve never seen before. The sand is super soft and fun to play with, it makes good sandcastles,” she said as her daughter wiped sand from her face. “And the scenery is beautiful, you just come over the hill and it’s just this majestic scene of green ocean.”
Leatherman acknowledged that not everyone appreciates the publicity his lists give to top beaches.
“I get a lot of people who are very happy about it. They like to know where to go,” Leatherman said. But “I always get some pushback. Oh yes, people say, ‘Oh no, we already have too many people coming here. What are you doing?’ It’s almost like they think it’s a secret beach or something. (Kailua) is not quite a secret beach. It is a real gem though.”
Braden Marquez, 18, who grew up in Kailua, says he is worried about overcrowding but also hopeful about the future of his hometown.
“This beach is pretty special to me just because my family has been coming here for years and years,” he said, noting the area has changed a lot since his childhood.
″(My) biggest concern would be losing the locals because of the influx of people,” he said during a recent visit to the beach. “But other than that I’m pretty excited about all the new things to come.”
For the first 25 years of ranking, any beach that won the top spot on Leatherman’s list was ineligible for inclusion in subsequent years. But in 2015, Dr. Beach cleared the slate to allow any beach in the nation to once again be eligible, resetting the clock — and perhaps the relevance— involving his annual contest.
Kailua was named the best beach in 1998, making it a two-time winner.

Leatherman is again retiring new winners and posting them on his website .
The other beaches on this year’s list are Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on North Carolina’s Outer Banks in second place, followed by Grayton Beach State Park in the Florida panhandle; Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York; Duke Kahanamoku Beach on Oahu; Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin-Clearwater, Florida; Hapuna State Beach Park on Hawaii’s Big Island; Coronado Beach, San Diego, California; and Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Leatherman’s goal in producing the list each year, he says, is to reward high-quality, safe beaches that balance nature with accessibility and amenities. He hopes beaches that haven’t made his list will make changes for a better experience and a healthier coastal ecosystem.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Boating Safety as Lake Powell Water Level Rises

Zitat

Lake Powell boaters are enjoying higher lake levels as last winter’s significant upstream snowpack melts. Water levels are now rising 6 to 15 inches in a 24 hour period. As a result, the main launch ramp at Bullfrog has sufficient water to cover the old coffer dam and is no longer, “at your own risk.” The Antelope Point Marina launch ramp is expected to be open after NPS staff install and adjust marine infrastructure to provide for boater safety and access.

Visitors need to be aware of their property and keep it a safe distance from the rising shoreline. Vehicles should be parked 200 to 300 yards away from the water’s edge (depending on how long they are on the lake) so they will not become submerged and potentially towed. Depending on the grade of land, a foot of water rising vertically will cover approximately 30 to 50 feet of land horizontally.

Additionally, boaters need to be aware of rising water levels overnight that will cause float toys and other objects left too close to shore to float away. Houseboat users will have to check and possibly reset their anchors each day to pull slack lines tight.

Inflow is carrying debris and boaters should be aware of pieces of branches that could be as large as full trees floating in the lake. This debris could damage lower units when struck. Uplake, there have been large, dead cottonwood trees floating downstream from Trachyte Canyon, Ticaboo Canyon and Good Hope Bay. These debris fields will continue downstream.

As always, watch your children around water and wear life jackets. Maintain safe travel in the main channel and go off plane in unknown water. “Do not drink and drive” applies to boating also and always have a sober observer looking out for your party’s safety. Water levels are significantly different than past seasons, so commonly known boating paths and saved GPS routes may not be safe with current lake levels. As boaters follow these and other safety measures, the park wishes all visitors a safe and enjoyable boating season.

Link

A Slice of History - Pizza in America

Zitat

The National Park Service and Evelyn Hill Inc., the food service concessionaire at the Statue of Liberty since 1931 and Ellis Island since 2009, have cooked up a way to celebrate Pizza. We’ve invited five purveyors of one of America’s favorite foods to share their crusty craftsmanship and their founder's immigration stories with a temporary exhibit in the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

Pizza is personal. Have you ever asked a New Yorker where to get the best pizza? You could be in for a long conversation. There’s the thickness and crispiness of the crust, the ratio of sauce to cheese, and then there are toppings. The origins of pizza, as we know it today, can be traced back to 17th century Naples, and it was brought to America by Italian immigrants in the late 19th century. From New York to Chicago to California, Americans consume more than 3 billion pizzas a year.

The five pizza establishments represented in the exhibit were out in front of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration today, giving away their pizza to visitors arriving by ferry.
Pizza Purveyors:
Johnny’s of Mt. Vernon, NY
Kesté of Bleecker St., NYC
Nellie’s Place of Waldwick, NJ
NY Pizza Suprema of 8th Ave., NYC
Posa Posa of Nanuet, NY

“Food is a tangible and fun way to connect our visitors to the story of immigration,” said the Superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, John Piltzecker. “And who doesn’t love pizza? The stories of the families that run the pizzerias represented in this exhibit will connect our visitors to immigration history and bring it alive.”

“This is our third year of doing a food exhibit tied to family immigration stories,” said Bob Uffer, Chief Operating Officer of Evelyn Hill Inc. “I love how people’s faces light up as they come off the ferries and are surprised to be offered a slice of pizza. We’ve placed the exhibit at the entrance to our café so our visitors get a slice of history and enjoy one of the world’s favorite foods. That’s a win-win.”

Alles anzeigen

Link

Grand Teton National Park

Travelers Should Expect Up to 30-Minute Delays

Zitat

ravelers on U.S. Highway 89 in Grand Teton National Park should plan for 30-minute delays as the park’s pavement preservation plan is underway. Work is currently taking place between the park’s southern boundary and the Jackson Hole Airport, and will continue north to the South Gate of Yellowstone. Previous planned delays of 15-minutes have been increased for work and traffic efficiencies.

Grand Teton Acting Superintendent Gopaul Noojibail said, “We recognize the impact that road work has on the community and park visitors, and appreciate the continued support. These improvements to park infrastructure will address a $6.8 million maintenance backlog that includes 67 miles of park road and three major parking areas.”

The daily average traffic between Jackson and the Jackson Hole Airport is more than 14,200 vehicles during the summer season. This traffic is more than some locations on the four-lane Interstate 80 in southern Wyoming.

Motorists should plan ahead for delays and reduce speeds in the work zone while the highway is limited to one lane of travel. Additionally, travelers are advised to drive slowly and maintain the recommended speed limit on chip seal pavement to reduce the risk of loose gravel damaging cars or windshields.

Road work will take place Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. The work is weather and temperature dependent. The chip seal process requires warmer temperatures and minimum moisture for the seal to fully set. Recent weather conditions have proved challenging for construction work.

No road work will take place over the Independence Day Holiday, Wednesday afternoon through Sunday, July 3-7.

The repaving work on the parking lots at the Craig Thomas Discovery Visitor Center and Jenny Lake Visitor Center are expected to be completed this week. Work continues on the Colter Bay access road and will soon begin in the parking area.

Chip sealing is a cost-effective way to provide an improved road surface and preserve the underlying pavement. When proactive preventative maintenance activities are completed on park roads, more serious and costly damage to the pavement structure will be averted.

The work includes patching holes and sealing cracks in the pavement surface initially. A chip seal or micro seal will then be applied to the road surface, followed by a fog seal to reduce airborne gravel. Striping will be the final action.

Motorists will also begin seeing construction activity along Gros Ventre Road and north of Moran Junction as part of the preparation for the chip sealing process. Delays of up to 15 minutes should be anticipated. Once chip sealing gets underway, motorists should expect up to 30-minute delays at these locations.

Updated road status and conditions are available by calling the park road information line at 307-739-3682 and on the park’s website, Facebook and Twitter.

In addition to the pavement preservation work, the final phase of emergency repairs related to the June 2017 washout of the Gros Ventre Road will occur late this summer. Work is expected to begin in late July.

Alles anzeigen

Link